MONTGOMERY, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced today the indictment of a former Alabama Medicaid Agency employee, Natalie Colette Lewis, 59, of Montgomery, for the theft of more than $100,000 in public funds.
A Montgomery County Grand Jury indicted Lewis on multiple felony charges, including Aggravated Theft of Property, Use of Office for Personal Gain, and Violation of the Alabama Computer Crimes Act. She surrendered to the Montgomery County Detention Facility and was released on a $30,000 bond.
Aggravated Theft of Property, the most serious charge, carries a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $60,000. The charge of Use of Office for Personal Gain is a Class B felony, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $30,000, while Violation of the Alabama Computer Crimes Act is a Class C felony, carrying a possible sentence of 1 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit initiated the investigation after the Alabama Medicaid Agency identified and reported the theft. Marshall praised the agency for its prompt action in uncovering the fraud.
“Public trust is the foundation of government service, and when a state employee abuses that trust for personal gain, it is a direct assault on the taxpayers of Alabama,” said Attorney General Marshall. “My office is committed to rooting out fraud and holding those who steal from the public accountable. This case serves as a stark reminder that no one is above the law.”
Assistant Attorney General Bruce Lieberman, Director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, is prosecuting the case. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75 percent of its funding—$1.2 million for Fiscal Year 2024—through an annual grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General.
